Exeter’s jobless total saw a small fall last month official figures show.

The number of people on the dole in the city dropped slightly from 1,997 in October to 1,955 last month.

This is more than 250 down on the 2,208 recorded for November last year.

Surrounding districts saw more of a mixed picture.

In East Devon the claimant count rose from 1,161 to 1,227 last month, while in Teignbridge it fell slightly from 1,535 to 1,517.

In Mid Devon the number of people on Jobseekers Allowance fell from 947 to 890.

Unemployment across the South West rose by 2,000 to 155,000 in the quarter to October, but down 22,000 on a year ago.

It gives a jobless rate of 5.7 per cent – still the lowest in the UK.

Nationally, the figures showed a record number of people are in work after the biggest quarterly fall in unemployment for more than a decade.

The jobless total fell by 82,000 in the three months to October to 2.51 million, down by 128,000 on a year ago.

The Office for National Statistics said it was the biggest quarterly fall since the Spring of 2001.

Meanwhile, employment jumped by 40,000 to 29.6 million, the highest figure since records began in 1971 and up by half a million on a year ago.

The data showed a fall in public sector employment and an increase in the numbers employed by private firms.

Public sector employment fell for the 12th consecutive quarter, by 24,000 to 5.7 million, the lowest since 2002.

Private sector employment rose by 65,000 in the latest quarter to 23.8 million, the highest on record.

A total of 449,000 people have been out of work for more than two years, up by 6,000, while 904,000 have been jobless for more than a year, unchanged from the previous quarter.

The number of unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds fell by 72,000 to 945,000.

Employment Minister Mark Hoban, said: “Once again these figures show that the private sector is creating far more jobs than are being lost in the public sector.

“With unemployment falling again and more people in work, the figures are very welcome. To see youth unemployment, excluding students, at its lowest level for three and a half years is particularly good news.

“But we’re not complacent and know there are still lots of challenges ahead, which is why the Government will continue working hard to help those people who want to get on in life and allow the UK to compete in the global race.”